In the Mid-1980s, the U.S. patent office was issuing more than 4 million patents a year. Not many of those have found the kind of success Skier’s Edge has. Twenty-three years after it was developed as a means of exercise without knee stress, it has become a critical component of the World Cup skiing athlete’s training arsenal.
Among the most recent disciples of this device is Austrian standout Nicole Hosp, who ordered one for her home.
“I’m the girl who wants to get the same machine like Reinhard Ronacher got last year,” Hosp wrote the Skier’s Edge. “Reinhard is the trainer from the men’s team. I have heard about this machine just [being] the best. I am having some problems with my knees because my cartilage is not working very well. So I can make a very good training withoutproblems.”
That seems to have worked out well. Hosp is leading the GS standings heading into the break for World Championships. Hosp borrowed the information from the Austrian men’s team. Ronacher is among the strongest supporters of the Skier’s Edge as a training device for the World Cup, championship and Olympic level. “Our racers do 1,000 turns at max resistance,” he reported. “In my opinion the machines are perfect and I have no idea how to make them any better.”
The U.S. team has been using Skier’s Edge for years. As have the Canadians…the Germans, the French, Sweden, Slovakia, Italy, Norway, New Zealand and others. In fact, some might have guarded what they once considered their secret advantage.
Before Swiss Michael Von Gruenigen, the highest-placed GS winner on record save Ingemar Stenmark, retired in 2003, he said, “For over 10 years, I have been training with Skier’s Edge machines. Skier’s Edge is for me the key to success. The result: 20 World Cup victories, two World Championship titles and an Olympic medal.” He added three more wins and forgot to mention the four World Cup GS titles.No doubt it’s a great training device, but it wasn’t designed for world-class skiers-it was designed for the average recreational skier. “I was just looking for a way to stay in shape for skiing without doing further damage to my knees,” designed Loane said. Many athletes are benefiting.
“This is a superior tool for rehabilitation and conditioning for our players. …(it) is an exceptional tool that can be used early in a rehab program to get our players back on the field,” said John Pease, assistant head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars football team of the NFL.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Duce Staley told the Skier’s Edge staff, “I’ve increased my lower-body strength and balance. This has helped me put the finishing touches on my off-season strength and conditioning program.” In baseball, outfielder Marquis Grissom said Skier’s Edge “helped me to develop explosive lateral power as well as strengthening my lower extremity tendons and ligaments to fight off injury. …I can’t think of any one piece of equipment that had done more for me than the Skier’s Edge.” In tennis, Andy Roddick said it has helped him gain lateral quickness. “The lateral movements against resistance on the Skier’s Edge has developed the strength I need to improve my game.”
Even golf: “The Skier’s Edge has become a part of my daily exercise routine,” wrote Fred Funk. “It has helped me in my cardio and core improvement. …The Skier’s Edge is a great product in developing endurance, coordination as well as balance and hand-to-eye coordination. And with all that the Skier’s Edge is really fun to use.”
It seems the folks at Skier’s Edge have no problem getting testimonial tributes to their equipment. There is probably a good reason for that. SR
